Search

QUEBEC CITY, Sept. 27 /CNW Telbec/ - Denis Paradis, Liberal candidate in
Brome - Missisquoi, provided food for thought to the mayors of Quebec's
municipalities assembled for the annual convention of the Quebec Federation of
Municipalities (QFM) regarding Sephen Harper's Conservative government policy
on regional economic development.
"The policy Mr Harper has assigned his regional development minister to
enforce constitutes nothing short of a unilateral withdrawal of the federal
partner from your economic development projects. When we see the cuts he made
in the financial support to regional development non-profit organizations, the
evidence is clear," Mr Paradis said.
Mr Paradis reminded the mayors that, in many instances, the non-profit
organizations hurt by Mr Blackburn's cuts served a coordination role by
bringing together the municipal, provincial, and federal partners in order to
conjugate their efforts in more cooperative way.
"In these days of growing economic uncertainty, it is less than ever a
good idea to start scattering ourselves and to pull in different directions,
each one separately. The only way your cities, your towns, and your regions
will succeed is by concerting their efforts, by adopting common goals, and by
joining the resources of the three levels of government to work to attain
these goals," Mr Paradis argued.
Mr Paradis also lauded the economic benefits that would flow from the
application of the Liberal program, which gives pride of place to job-creating
infrastructure investments, as well as funds to help reposition the
manufacturing sector.